Christian's Travel Blog

Tripadvisor has a list (by ranking) of 26 campgrounds on Okinawa and surrounding islands. By now, my island hopping introduced me to six islands of the Ryukyu archipelago, or in other terms, 4 weeks by camping on three of them. So what about Ama Beach Campground on Zamami-jima? Interestingly it is not mentioned at all by TripAdvisor ... Today it's already a week that I arrived from Naha by ferry - on the cheaper cargo ferry a two-hour crossing with a short stop at Aka-jima. And I'm still not departing this pearl in the Keremashoto National Park. Ama Beach Campground.So close to the touristic hub Naha (Okinawa), a hidden secret in terms of camping right at an incredible turquoise beach - and still it escaped the mighty virtual eyes of TripAdvisor. Let it be like that. I won't put it on TripAdvisor's ranking on top. It's just right as it is. One of those few places - like the one at Maupiti in French Polynesia, or 'U...

Iriomote-jima has three campgrounds. One down south at Haemida Beach - right there where the road ends and the jungle takes over. There's no bus and you'll need to walk about 6km from Ohara ferry port. It's surely basic with no electricity, nor showers. In addition the next mini-market is back in town. Hoshizuna Campsite on the upper side of the island was my first choice, mostly because of its location just above the star-sand beach and a restaurant nearby (that also manages the campground). Indeed, the location as well as the garden setting didn't disappoint. But again, for an individual backpacker without a campgear stuffed car, no good deal. There's no covered space, nor any table set. No electricity outlet (except one lamp in the only toilet) either. And to take hot shower you have to be in time (during limited opening hours of the restaurant). So I moved to Mitorea Camping, about 2km from the ferry port and shops at Uehara. There's ...

Although I toured the globe with a tent in my backpack for decades - preferably on my motorbike - this is my first camping experience in Japan. I spent now two weeks on Iriomote-jima and Ishigaki-jima at three out of five listed campgrounds. Three campsites are on Iriomote and two on Ishigaki, whereas the supposed best located campground on Yonehara Beach continues to be closed since last year. Don't be fooled, as still a busline 'Yonehara Campground Line' runs daily from the airport to the west coast. Therefore Inoda Auto Campground was the only option on Ishigaki - spacious and directly located in dense native bush right at Inoda Beach. There is a reception and reasonable facilities, like a sanitation block with hot showers, covered cooking facilities and a mini-shop. End of March temperatures are still around 20 degrees and weather - probably all year round - is rather changeable. Too early for swimming, except you have a wetsuit for some of the b...